Wines

2017 Lime Kiln Red

This new wine in our range is a great introduction to the vineyard, led by spicy shiraz fruit, complexed by some jubey mondeuse, and rounded out by the velvety texture of touriga.

Gold Medal and Two Trophies, Canberra & Region Wine Show 2018

Out of stock

Accolades

Another mid-weighted pound for pound, top-fighting wine with anise, dried herb and Aussie menthol notes meandering around a core of ripe red fruits, mid-weighted and softly brushed with tannin. Partially carbonic, the result is yet another eminently drinkable wine.(Ned Goodwin MW)

Medium to light red/purple hue. The bouquet is very peppery, stalky and herby and it smacks of heavy use of whole-bunch fermentation. The wine is medium-bodied at most and balanced, smooth-textured and quite delicious to taste. Lovely early-drinking red wine. 91 points (Huon Hooke).

The blend takes spicy-fruity Canberra shiraz as a base, then throws in floral, spicy, peppery and herbal notes of the other varieties. It’s medium bodied, soft, smooth, and a delight to drink now. (Chris Shanahan)

Winemaker's Notes

LIME KILN RED
Lime Kiln Red is a new medium-bodied blend that’s all about deliciousness and drinkability. With such a collection of interesting varieties in the vineyard and winery, new blending trials are irresistible fun. The inaugural 2017 Lime Kiln Red is 50% shiraz, 25% mondeuse, 20% touriga and 5% tempranillo. And the name? A 1912 map of the district showed a ‘Lime Kiln Block’ near the current vineyard site, presumably burning limestone similar to that in the vineyard to make builder’s lime.

2017 VINTAGE
The 2016-2017 growing season started with a wet winter and cool spring, resulting in later growth but strong canopies from all the moisture. The summer was particularly hot, with consistently high temperatures from late December to late February, but then switched into a perfect, mild autumn with sunny days, cool nights and little rain. Crops were larger than expected, accordingly taking longer to ripen, but having perfect conditions to do it in. In contrast to some recent years, ripening of different varieties was well spread apart, so that vintage was measured and controlled (leisurely would be going too far!). There are bright fresh flavours in the earlier varieties, with increasing depth, colour and detail in those ripening later.

WINEMAKING
Hand picked between 5 and 24 April 2017, and wild-fermented separately in open vats with hand plunging. The mondeuse component underwent carbonic maceration prior to destemming and fermentation, while the shiraz ferments included 25% whole bunches. Matured in older French oak, blended, lightly filtered, and bottled under screwcap November 2017; 471 dozen made. Alcohol 13.0% by volume. Vegan friendly?: Yes.